New Study Shows Edibles, Commercialized Marijuana Have Led To 150% Increase In Accidental Marijuana Exposure For Young Children, Toddlers In Colorado

BOSTON - A new study published Monday has shown that reports of accidental marijuana poisoning by young children and toddlers has risen by 150% since commercial marijuana was legalized in Colorado in 2014. Half of the child poisoning cases involved the accidental ingestion of marijuana edible products (including brownies, cookies and candies) that are being marketed and sold in Colorado. The Campaign for a Safe and Healthy Massachusetts urged the marijuana industry to answer why they would specifically authorize these products in Massachusetts under their 2016 ballot proposal.

The study, conducted by the JAMA Pediatrics Journal, was released Monday and studied the number of marijuana poison-control cases for children aged 0-9, and showed the 150% increase since 2014. The average stay in the hospital for the children was about 11 hours. Marijuana Edibles now account for approximately 50% of marijuana product sales in Colorado since legalization, and that number is growing.

Under the Massachusetts ballot question, written by the Marijuana Industry, edible pot products would be specifically authorized under the law. Edible products are such an essential part of the Massachusetts ballot question that the state’s Supreme Judicial Court, in a rare ruling, ordered that the ballot question summary be re-written to include reference to edibles. In Colorado, the marijuana industry has vigorously fought against marketing restrictions once recreational marijuana was legalized.

“It is becoming increasingly clear that the pot edibles market is dangerous for our kids, and a huge part of the profit model for the marijuana industry,” Safe and Healthy Massachusetts campaign manager Nick Bayer said. “The marijuana industry chose to specifically authorize these dangerous edible products under their proposed law. The marijuana industry put their profits over the interests of Massachusetts families, and we believe the edibles issue alone is a reason to reject this ballot question in Massachusetts.”

Among the facts about marijuana edibles include:

• There is no limit on the potency of edible products in Colorado, nor are limits written into the proposed law in Massachusetts.
• Edible products have been known to have THC levels reaching as high as 95%. That compares to the THC in current marijuana plants that average 17-18% THC, and marijuana THC levels of 3-4% that existed back in the 1980s.
• Marijuana infused products such as gummy bears, candy bars, cookies, and “cannabis cola” are often indistinguishable from traditional products and attractive to children.
• Doctors at Children’s Hospital Denver reported that, after legalization, the ER began treating one to two kids a month for accidental marijuana ingestion, mostly in the form of edibles. Prior to legalization, they reported none.
• For example, in 2014, a two-year old girl from Longmont, Colorado was sent to the hospital after accidentally eating a marijuana cookie she found in front of her apartment building.

The Campaign for a Safe and Healthy Massachusetts represents a growing coalition of health care and community leaders, anti-addiction advocates, educators, business groups, first responders, and families who are opposing this proposed legalization of the commercial marijuana industry in Massachusetts.

Among the groups that have already come out in opposition to this initiative include: the Massachusetts Hospital Association, the Massachusetts Medical Society, the Massachusetts Municipal Association, the Associated Industries of Massachusetts, the Conference of Boston Teaching Hospitals, the Retailers Association of Massachusetts, Association of School Superintendents, the Association for Behavioral Healthcare, the National Association of Mental Illness (Massachusetts Chapter), the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police, the Massachusetts Sheriffs Association, and all Massachusetts District Attorneys.

BOSTON - The Conference of Boston Teaching Hospitals (COBTH) today joined the Campaign for a Safe and Healthy Massachusetts, a coalition of community leaders, law enforcement agencies, legislators, members of the business community and health care organizations opposed to passage Question 4 on the November ballot seeking to legalize marijuana in the Commonwealth.

“The health and safety of Massachusetts residents and the communities we serve has always been a priority for our hospitals,” said John Fernandez, President and CEO of Mass. Eye and Ear and Chair of COBTH.  “Legalizing the recreational use of marijuana carries with it dangerous public health consequences.”

Evidence of the negative effects of legalized marijuana is documented in states that have made the drug legal.  In the year after Colorado legalized marijuana, the number of marijuana-related emergency visits increased nearly 30 percent as did the number of traffic deaths related to marijuana.  Colorado now ranks first in the nation for teen marijuana use where after a 12% increase in use by those between age 12 and 17.  In Washington, the number of fatal car crashes involving marijuana doubled in the one year since legalization.

"Massachusetts has made great strides in addressing the opioid epidemic, our focus should be on continuing that critical work and legalization of marijuana and the proven adverse public health impacts will only make that job harder," said John Erwin, COBTH's Executive Director.

Among the groups that have come out in opposition to Question 4 include:

• Massachusetts Hospital Association
• Massachusetts Medical Society
• Massachusetts Municipal Association
• Associated Industries of Massachusetts
• Retailers Association of Massachusetts
• Association of School Superintendents
• Construction Industries of Massachusetts
• Action for Boston Community Development
• Association for Behavioral Healthcare
• National Association of Mental Illness (Massachusetts Chapter)
• Massachusetts Chiefs of Police, Massachusetts Sheriffs Association and all Massachusetts District Attorneys

About COBTH: The Conference of Boston Teaching Hospitals exists to maximize the Boston-area teaching hospitals' visibility on the issues that are fundamental to their unique missions of teaching and research. COBTH educates opinion leaders at all levels about the contributions of its members to the area's health and economy. Members include Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston Medical Center, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital, Cambridge Health Alliance, Carney Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Lahey Hospital and Medical Center, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Massachusetts General Hospital, St. Elizabeth Medical Center, Tufts Medical Center, VA Boston Healthcare System.

Second Poll To Show Opposition Rising to Commercial Marijuana Industry

BOSTON – As reported in today’s Boston Globe, a second consecutive poll has shown opposition rising to Ballot Question 4 that would legalize the commercial marijuana industry in Massachusetts. This poll reported on today shows a majority of Massachusetts voters opposing the measure.

According to the Globe, the survey found that 51 percent of Massachusetts voters plan to vote against the commercial marijuana ballot measure, while 41 percent support it. Nine percent were undecided. The poll was conducted on July 12 – July 13 by Gravis Marketing for Jobs First, and surveyed 901 registered voters. It had a margin of error of +/- 3.3 points.

This poll follows a Suffolk University/Boston Globe poll conducted in May that showed 46% of likely voters opposing the commercial marijuana ballot question, with 43% supporting it, and 11% undecided.

“These polls show that as more people learn about Question 4 – a proposal written by and for the commercial marijuana industry – the more concerns they have,” said Safe and Healthy Massachusetts Campaign Manager Nick Bayer. “Question 4 would usher in the dangerous marijuana edibles industry, allow people to grow pot in their homes and apartments even over objections by neighbors, and undermine our work combatting the addiction crisis. As more people learn these facts, the more they understand that this giveaway to the marijuana industry is the wrong proposal at the wrong time for Massachusetts.”

The Campaign for a Safe and Healthy Massachusetts is a growing, bi-partisan coalition of health care and community leaders, anti-addiction advocates, educators, business groups, first responders, and families who are opposing this proposed legalization of the commercial marijuana industry in Massachusetts.

Among the groups that have already come out in opposition to this ballot question include:

• Massachusetts Hospital Association
• Massachusetts Medical Society
• Massachusetts Municipal Association
• Associated Industries of Massachusetts
• Retailers Association of Massachusetts
• Association of School Superintendents
• Construction Industries of Massachusetts
• Action for Boston Community Development
• Association for Behavioral Healthcare
• National Association of Mental Illness (Massachusetts Chapter)
• Massachusetts Chiefs of Police, Massachusetts Sheriffs Association and all Massachusetts District Attorneys

To read the full Boston Globe story, as reported by Jim O’Sullivan, click here.

SJC Revises One Sentence Description To Include Reference to Marijuana Edibles Market

BOSTON – Today, the Supreme Judicial Court, while allowing the ballot question that would legalize the commercial marijuana industry in Massachusetts to move forward, has  revised the one-sentence ballot description of a yes vote to make explicit that marijuana edibles would be legalized.

Marijuana edibles account for approximately 50% of marijuana product sales in Colorado since legalization. The ballot question places no restriction on the potency of these products, which have THC levels as high as 90% in Colorado. Edible products include candies like gummy bears and swedish fish, chocolate bars, cookies, and sodas.

Statement from Corey Welford, Spokesperson for a Safe and Healthy Massachusetts Campaign

"We are pleased the SJC has recognized that this ballot question would usher in an entirely new marijuana edibles market and that voters must be informed of that fact. Under this proposal, the Marijuana Industry would be allowed to promote and sell these highly potent products, in the form of gummy bears and other candies, that are a particular risk for accidental use by kids."

Fact Sheet on Marijuana Edibles

A major part of the Marijuana Industry’s profit goals

• Marijuana Edibles now account for approximately 50% of marijuana product sales in Colorado since legalization, and that number is growing.

Highly potent products

• There is no limit on the potency of edible products in Colorado, nor are limits written into the proposed law in Massachusetts
• Edible products have been known to have THC levels reaching as high as 50 to 95%. That compares to the THC in current marijuana joints that average 17-18% THC, and typical marijuana THC levels of 3-4% that existed back in the 1980s.

A danger for kids

• Marijuana infused products such as gummy bears, candy bars, cookies, and “cannabis cola” are often indistinguishable from traditional products.
• These products are attractive to children, placing them at risk of accidental use.
• Doctors at Children’s Hospital Denver reported that, after legalization, the ER began treating one to two kids a month for accidental marijuana ingestion, mostly in the form of edibles. Prior to legalization, they reported none.[1]
• For example, in 2014, a two-year old girl from Longmont, Colorado was sent to the hospital after accidentally eating a marijuana cookie she found in front of her apartment building.

[1] USA Today, “Kids Getting into parents’ pot-laced goodies,” April 2, 2014. (http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/04/02/marijuana-pot-edibles-colorado/7154651/)